If you didn’t know, I made it a goal to read 2 books a month, or 24 books this year. I used to love reading, but as I got into high school and early college I just honestly forgot about it. So far, I’ve been doing pretty good and you bet you’ll get my top favorite books once the year comes to a close, but for now, I’ll be going over the two (or three) books I read each month.
Uncomfortable Conversations With a Black Man By: Emmanuel Acho
This is the first Non-Fiction book I have read in a hot minute. I saw it as part of my local library’s “Buzz Book” series and immediately checked it out. We just passed the one-year anniversary of George Floyd’s murder, and I have made it my goal to educate myself about Black lives and white privilege. I encourage everyone to do so as well because I strongly believe that education is the key to fixing our divided country.
If you are looking for a place to start with you education on Black lives, I strongly recommend this book. Ancho explains topics like why reverse racism doesn’t exist, why white people shouldn’t use the N word, systematic racism and much more. He uses his own experiences and great analogies to make it all make sense. Additionally, he provides the reader with additional resources so that we can continue our education (almost ten pages in the back of the book). This book actually comes from a video series that Ancho did recently with the same title, Uncomfortable Conversations With a Black Man.
If you don’t feel like reading, I would encourage you to watch the video series here.
The Last Mrs. Parish By: Liv Constantine
Before you read this book, Trigger Warning: Sexual Violence and Abuse
Holy Crap. I read this book in two days. Let me be clear, I never read books that fast. It is 370 pages and I read it in 2 days, that’s how hooked I was. I initially found this book on a book recommendation Tok Tok. The creator had said this was a fast-moving book. Additionally, one of my favorite YouTubers Brooke Miccio had mentioned that she stayed up all night reading this book (Brooke has an Instagram highlight for books if you’re looking for inspiration).
This is a story all about deception, manipulation, power, and greed. It will keep you on your toes at all times. Some books take a few chapters to get into- not this book. By the first pages, I was hooked. Constantine wastes no time and starts the story right off the bat. This book is a great reminder that not everything is as it appears. People may appear to be happy to the public eye but no one knows what happens behind closed doors. Side note I feel like, with the right cast, this could be a killer movie. I also appreciated how the story ends. I didn’t have any questions left and it was a satisfying conclusion, but you’ll just have to read it to experience it.
Check out more of my favorite books on Our Favorites Page!